How to Become a (Rather Good) Graphic Designer

Graphic Design is by everyone, for everyone, if you can take it.

Who is this dude?

I have spent the last 15 years operating in a professional capacity for companies in education, manufacturing, print, agency, events and science. I'll save you the long-winded intro, in short, I have a lot to share so you don't have to make the mistakes I did.

You can see my work here.

What is this dude talking about?

Being a Designer is a privilege, acting as a visual problem solver it is your task to formulate solutions to achieve a goal. Not everyone can do this naturally, some are born with the ability to learn this quickly, some are not - that does not mean all can't achieve the same level of quality in their work.

As I have grown from company to company, I have encountered many challenges and have a lot of takeaways to share. Let me share my learnings with the hope it will make your journey easier on the way to being a rather good Graphic Designer.

Step 1: Know the Industry

Before you embark on your quest, arm yourself with the right mental tools. Let's face it, getting into the Design industry is hard. There are millions out there all doing what you are doing: making the first step on the career ladder. The first step is an incredible threshold, once you have made it, it will get easier.

Know this: The industry is not fair, that is a fact. Not everyone will be starting the marathon from the same starting position. You will encounter many that have contacts; be it parents, friends of the family or people with the finances to afford an education in a renowned University which employers will gravitate to. Others will have only their skills as their backing. Some will have to prove themselves 4 times over, some just once. Don't feel defeated before you start, perseverance and building up the body of evidence that supports your skills will get you there eventually - I was one of the others, and I got there!

Step 2: Educate, Educate, Educate

Education is evidence of external backing, validation of commitment and the expansion of your skillset to achieve your goals.

When I graduated secondary school I knew I wanted to be a Graphic Designer straight away, some may decide at a later age - that's fine, following this stage will get you on your way no matter what stage you are on your journey.

Step 2.1: Higher Education is a great way to go, I studied at Oxford and Cherwell Valley College (now called Activate Learning) studying a Graphic Design National Diploma, of course other Colleges are available.

When choosing, it's obvious that you should choose a design course but also go with what works with your life situation, for example your life situation could be around time, if you are in full-time work you could consider taking a part-time course, this is achieved by spreading out the course longer or take an online course to fit your schedule. Other considerations could be location, if you can afford to go far and want a fresh start then go for it, if you cant just study locally or take an online course - ultimately it does not matter, the qualification is the key.

UK specific: If money is an issue, there are a number of educational grants:

• UK Government Grants
• UCAS Loans

Here is a useful guide on how Student Finance works

At this stage, it is likely that you know you want to be a designer but not what you will specialise in; so choose a college you will enjoy - check the facilities on offer have decent computers with access to the Adobe Suite via the Creative Cloud, you will need to become acquainted with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Remember: Use this stage to ask Questions, you can never ask too many. The students that succeed at any stage of education are sponges. Use this time to learn from experienced professionals, read books, study other designer's works, contact a few designers asking for advice, make mistakes in class and learn from them, it is a safe space to grow.

Also remember to have fun, of course study is important but remember to enjoy your time, it is important to be social and explore your interests - getting to know the real you will help you understand your true calling as a Designer and identify your speciality. I admit I overstudied when I was in college, I worked hard to make up for my background at the time and missed out on the chance to let my hair down (of what little hair I had) and my overworking led to exhaustion which did temporarily affect my work.

Step 2.2: University is a sensible next step, this is where you will progress to a more skilled level of work, refining your conceptual skills along with your creative production skills. Employers will look more to your University qualifications to validate your skillset and backing by an educational body. I studied at DeMontfort University, of course there are plenty of other universities out there. My course of choice was BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Illustration, the reason why I chose this course was to have a slight advantage given my meagre beginnings, Designers are like DJ's - mixing assets into something new, having the additional skill of illustration to create images to mix, I thought would be a useful string to my bow.

During your time at university, again ask as many Questions as you can, skill up and become adept at the Adobe Creative Suite. Be proactive, don't just answer the brief given, look to see beyond the ask and show your tutors your thinking beyond the ask - even if not entirely correct, it will show your independence of thought to show your willingness to look ahead in a project. For example, in the working world a client may ask for a digital flyer to promote an event, then you make it. A great designer will ask about the audience, research competitors to the company or individual you are designing for to aim to create something that will stand out, ask how the user will interact: do they want it to be clickable? Where will the user go? What platform will the flyer be viewed on and how can you make the point of interaction clear? and so on....

When you graduate, you should have a base knowledge of how to operate as a professional designer:

• Know the difference between RGB and CMYK - when exporting your final designs this is crucial. RGB is red/green/blue and is the colour profile for digital designs, CMYK is cyan/magenta/yellow/black is optimal print projects.
• Know how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign and which to choose depending on what project you are working on.
• Know the difference between pixels and vectors and which formats support these. More file formats utilise vectors such as .eps .svg .pdf due to it reducing file sizes and increasing clarity in both print and web. If you are working with pixels, such as photos, the higher the pixel count the better!
• Be aware of the growing influence of technological advancements, such as AI and the impact on the industry. Test out Midjourney or Adobe Firefly to understand how it works and how it will impact your work.

What is the Adobe Suite?

These are a selection of finely tuned design tools for a multitude of design projects, covering layout, illustration, motion graphics, video editing, audio production and much more.

The basics for now are:

Photoshop - An excellent photo editor utilizing numerous colour grading tools, ai features and much more

Illustrator - A highly flexible image creation tool, using vectors and a number of effects you can create

InDesign - A flexible layout optimiser tool, for both digital and print use

Step 3: Hey Over Here! Look at Me!

You've graduated and now you are ready to jump into the sea of work, no one tells you the water is often frozen at first. To break through, get comfortable with attending interviews, you're going to be going to a lot. First impressions make the meeting, come as your best self.

Step 3.1: To achieve an interview you will firstly need a good CV (or Résumé).

• Keep it straight to the point, your potential employers will be sifting through thousands of applications, often employing the use of software to search key words to whittle their choices down and save time.
• To keep on the algorythm's good side, keep your CV one page, use live text (don't save as a photo for example) so the software can search it. Follow this order to keep it tight and to the point: Keep the top 1/8th tight with your name, contact details, website. Below form a paragraph succinctly identifying your individuality and why you want to become a designer - try to keep this no more than 5 lines. Below your intro, quick fire a list of skills you have for the algorithm to pull, for example: InDesign | Illustrator | Project Management | Team Player | Proactive | Creative. Ideally vary the words chosen with words used in the job application. After that, detail any experience you have; be it freelance, previous roles even if they are roles not related directly to Design and list key responsibilies below each role as quick fire words. Save a copy of your CV as a pdf and also as a Word version, some agencies prefer the option. Keep the design clean and uncomplicated, your portfolio is where you shine - add a link to that to go with your CV and LinkedIn profile and you are set.

Here is a template for a great CV

Step 3.2: Portfolio time:

• Option 1: Website. If you have an Adobe Cloud Subscription, make use of the free website service. Follow this link to see how. There are templates to use that are specifically refined for portfolio presentation, populate it with your contact details, a link to your CV and some project examples with a breakdown of your thought process. Here is my website I build on the platform for example. You could also use Wordpress or Wix.
• Option 2: Pdf portfolio. Use your skills in either InDesign or Illustrator to build a downloadable portfolio. Keep the design clean and simple, and pull out 4-5 work examples relevant to the role you are applying for, and try your best to keep the file size down or provide the employer with a file hosting link. Here is an example of my previous pdf portfolio that worked for me.

Step 3.3: Build your online presence. The best platform for being found is LinkedIn, it's free an an easy to use networking site. Make a page for yourself, add your online portfolio and CV links, and fill it with your work history. Also, if you have worked with people in the past you an either request or manually add their recommendations that will validate your claims of skill. There is a section that will allow you to list all your skills, populate this as much as you can and as you add those to your network, others will confirm that you have these skills also. Once your profile is made, you can view the job listings and easy apply along with contacting recruiters direct to easily keep on top of your applications.

Here is an example of a fully populated LinkedIn profile.

Step 3.4 Apply, apply, apply! This part is a balance between numbers and quality application, send out too many and the algorithm looks over you, send too little and you won't be picked up. Have your list of skills at the ready as a checklist, scan through each application and if you find it ticks most of your skills and wants - go for it! I found keeping a list of what role you applied for, the link to the role, the date applied and status is a great way to keep track. If roles don't respond within 2 weeks of applying, it won't hurt to send a friendly follow up email, keep it light and un-pressured. Sometimes applying to companies direct can work, form a cover letter selling your why to the company and link to your CV and portfolio - don't expect a response but at least you are increasing your chances.

As you apply for roles reach out to others to see if you can assist in some freelance work projects to build up your portfolio, ideally your work should be paid but some may want free designs - I did many of these but each one got me closer to my goal - this is your choice of course.

Step 4: Interview Shminterview

Congratulations on being invited to an interview, take a step back and appreciate how far you have come. Many roles have hundreds of applicants and you are likely to be one of the few that made it through.

There are two kinds of interview: In-Person and Online.

Being prepared is key.

Before your interview:

• Understand how the company wants to interview, in-person or online. Work out how long you will need to be ready to arrive on time wether your commuting via car or commuting to your living room.
• Research the company website, write down your own summary of what they do. Write down a list of key words or phrases used on their website so you can have these words to hand as an additional pull to use the relevant phraseology.
• Read through the role description and make notes of key skills stated in the advert that you can address in the interview.
• Have at least one question about the role to ask the interviewer, this shows that you are both interested but also are displaying one of the many key skills that aids all careers: inquisitiveness.
• Dress smartly, not too many bright colours but enough to be yourself while still appearing formal; often dressing this was to the employer, it looks like you are taking the opportunity seriously and for you it gives a confidence boost.

Feeling nervous: It's perfectly normal, it is a sign that you care but don't let it stop you from showing up as your true self. Being prepared helps, but also calming the brain helps too. Before each interview, I always allow 30 minutes before to go for a walk - online or in-person I leave wherever the interview is going to be, this overrides the fight-or-flight response built into our nervous system, when you walk away you trick the brain into believing you are leaving a threat, just don't get lost!

During your interview:

• Open with a 'Hi my name is X and it is nice to meet you'
• Let the interviewer lead, when you ask questions try to wait for the speaker to finish what they are saying.
• Posture matters, try and sit with your back straight, shoulders relaxed and hands unfolded. It shows the employer that you are engaged in the conversation, feel confident and are open to communication.
• Ask the one question you prepared before the interview, it could be a question about the role, about how the company works, about where they see their company going. My favourite one to ask at the end is "What about your role gets you up in the morning, aside from coffee" it is a nice way to finish on an emotive note.
• If they have not made clear, make sure you ask when they may be coming back to you with their decision so you can note a timeline to work through on your application list, so not to be too pushy within their expectations.
• Nice to have but not expected: If you can bring a couple of printed examples of your work to speak to it will help!

Step 5: Success Either Way

When you hear back there are 3 outcomes; either you are offered a role, passed the first round of interviews or you are not accepted. Well done either way, you are already on your journey.

If you are offered the role. Well done, maybe share your learnings with other future designers! There is more to come as you negotiate your offer and responsibilities, I hope to form another article for this stage in the near future.

If you passed the first round, rinse and repeat. They may ask you to do a short task, listen to the brief and do it as well as you can. In the second interview you will be better prepared as they will know you a bit more, and you will know more about the role and their likes, use this to ask more relevant questions and pull out some work examples you feel are relevant to support your points.

If you was not offered the role, don't fret. This is your information gathering opportunity to make next time easier:

• Review the interview, what do you think went well and went not as well. Work on the opportunities to strengthen the case that you are the right designer
• Ask the company for feedback. Contacting the employer for honest feedback at your interview is vital to refining your technique. Be prepared, some feedback you might not agree on but remember perception is not universal.
• Just keep going. perseverance is key, it is not easy but it will eventually get you there. Use each interview to get more and more confident in your delivery.

Good luck! Remember, if someone like me, with no background in design and no help can do it, you can too.

Feel free to message me with questions.

Kieran Stanislaw Mace

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